Sunday, March 29, 2009

Benedict Again

Putting one's hoof in it is getting to be a habit. Benedict seems to have disengaged from the human race, I fear.The Lancet, has quite properly accused Pope Benedict of distorting science in his remarks on condom use. It said the Pope's recent comments that condoms exacerbated the problem of HIV/Aids were wildly inaccurate and could have devastating consequences. The Pope had said the "cruel epidemic" should be tackled through abstinence and fidelity rather than condom use. Nothing wrong so far… except that for a lot of people, the horse is halfway down the road and a mild papal slap on the buttock is unlikely to bring it back. Speaking during his first visit to Africa, the Pope said HIV/Aids was "a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which can even increase the problem".This from the CDC - who really ought to know, the odd doctor being amongst them...

The ability of latex condoms to prevent transmission has been scientifically established in laboratory studies as well as in epidemiologic studies of uninfected persons at very high risk of infection because they were involved in sexual relationships with HIV-infected partners.”

The Pope said "the traditional teaching of the Church has proven to be the only failsafe way to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids". Quite so, Vicar. Encouraging condom use, as eveybody knows, makes otherwise mild and self-controlled people wildly promiscuous, ready to propagate their genome (safely enclosed) to all and sundry. Dear me. The silly old buffer should be made to pay out of Vatican funds for all the medical expenses his advice incurs. I wonder if this is His Holiness' Facebook profile picture. A face for radio........